Clock mechanism



March 16, 1937. E. s. COLE ET AL CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Nov. 22, 1930Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Holst, Astoria, N. Y.

said Cole said Holst assignor to Application November 22, 1930, SerialNo. 497,506

6 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to integrating the clockmechanism and the switch controlled thereby, and associated parts usedon devices for integrating or totalizing instantaneous measurements withrespect to time and more particularly to such devices as are adapted foruse in connection with ship logs so that measurements of instantaneousspeed of a ship may be totalized or integrated with respect to time togive the total distance traveled.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of asimplified self-winding clock mechanism.

Another object is to connect this clock mechanism so as to control theintegration of instantaneous speeds periodically with respect to time.

A further object is to provide a simple, rugged and highly accurateclock.

Another object is to provide clock mechanism of this character adaptedto operate electrical contacts in an efiicient manner.

There are other objects of the invention which, together with theforegoing, will be described in the detailed specification which is tofollow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming apart thereof.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may beapplied to the integration of any series of physical measurements, butfor the sake of simplicity the invention is illustrated and described inconnection with ship logs of the pitot tube type. I

Referring now to the drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the integrating mechanism including theclock and its associated motor;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing the details of theclock'and motor mechanism; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are a detail of the contact making mechanism.

The details of the clock and motor contact mechanism are shown in Figs.1, 2, 3, and 4 an electric motor I0 mounted on a base plate carries onits shaft H a worm 12 which engages in the large worm wheel I3. Thiswheel is rigidly attached to the shaft I4 rotatable on the bearings I5and I6. A crank arm l! which serves to drive the integrator mechanismproper through a rod I8 is fastened to one end of shaft I4, the otherend carries a pinion I50 which drives the clock. Shaft I42 to which isfastened gear I49 and star wheel I 40 is driven by pinion I50 throughthe intermediate gear I58, tar wheel I41 which is fastened to springbarrel I52 and gear I5I as one unit, is free to turn on shaft I42 but isflexibly attached to it by means of the main spring I43 located in thespring barrel and with one end fastened thereto-the other end beingsecured to the shaft. This spring is always under tension but isprevented from driving the spring barrel and gear unit, parts I4I, I52,and I5I, beyond a certain rate of speed, as determined by the escapementto which it is geared, through the intermediate gear I46 engaging theescape wheel pinion I45. The escapement is of usual construction andneed not be described in detail. The main spring is also prevented fromunwinding entirely by means of the stop pins I54 and I55, which projectfrom the adjacent sides of the star wheels in such a manner as to strikeand so prevent spring barrel I52 from advanc-. ing beyond a certainpoint, relative to the gear I49. The contact springs I38 and I39 whichcontrol the operation of the motor are mounted in such a manner as toallow their points to bear upon the periphery of the star wheels.

The operation of the clock mechanism will be more easily understood byreference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. Fig. 4 shows the clock with thecontacts in the open position, contact spring I39 being at the bottom ofthe slot in star wheel I40. The main spring is under tension. Uponclosing the clock circuit the motor drives the worm wheel I3 by means ofthe worm 12. Pinion I50 drives the gear I49, shaft I42 and star wheelI40 through the intermediate gear I58. Because of the shape of the slotin the periphery of the star wheel I 40 the contact spring I39 rises,and the contact spring I38, resting upon contact spring I39, also rises,lifting its point out of the slot in star wheel MI. The contacts beingclosed the motor'continues to run, contact spring I38 being held up bycontact spring I39, which rests upon the periphery of star wheel I40which in turn is driven by the motor. This condition is shown in Fig. 3.

As the stop pins are no longer in contact the clock main spring nowdrives the spring barrel and gear I5I and I52 at the rate of speeddetermined by the escapement to which it is geared, and the star wheelI4I turns slowly relative to the star wheel I40 so that when the pointof contact spring I39 drops into the next slot in its star wheel I40,the star wheel I4I will have advanced to a point where the slot is nolonger directly under the point of contact spring I38 which falls uponthe periphery of its star wheel I4I, while contact spring I39 continuesto fall to the bottom of the slot in star wheel I40-thus opening thecontacts quickly and causing the motor to stop. The star wheel MI drivenby the main spring continues to turn at the rate determined by theescapement, contact spring I38 riding on its periphery, as shown in Fig.4, until the next slot in the star wheel Ml comes under the point of thespring I38. It then drops, causing the contacts to close quicklythusstarting the motor and repeating the cycle. It will be noted that thestop pins never come in contact except when the clock stops, due tofailure of the source of current supply, in which event the clock willcontinue to run until the stop pins meet.

noted also that under all circumstances the clock will stop with thecontacts closed ready to'start again when the current supply isrestored.

In the case of the clock, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shaft M is made toturn one complete revolution for each time interval, but the rotation ofshaft M may be varied from a fraction of one revolution to more than onerevolution by-using a suitable gear ratio between the shafts l4 and I42.

In order that the motor'may not overrun, a simple dynamic brake isprovided inthe form of a small resistance unit I53, permanentlyconnected across the terminals of the motor armature T0. 7 The timekeeping properties of this mechanism, when the device is properlyconstructed, are remarkably accurate. The main spring is rewound atevery motor impulse, which occurs at intervals of fifteen seconds in theapparatus described, but V which can be varied within wide limits, andthis makes it possible to dispense with many of the gears usuallyemployed between the main spring and the escapement. Further, the mainspring is kept at asubstantially constant tension, so that the torqueapplied to the escapement is approximately constant.

In order that the clock may start automatically when the power isrestored to the motor, a small electromagnet with an arm carrying alight quill r I51, is arranged as shown. When the power is restored, theelectromagnet being connected to the same supply circuit is energizedand the quill is passed lightly along the periphery of the balance wheelas shown-thus setting the clock in motion.

While we have illustrated and described a certain specific embodiment ofour invention, it will be understood many changes, modifications anddeviations may be made therefrom without departing from thespirit andscope thereof, as

indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

meansarranged to be operated by the clock, said switch means comprisinga rotary member rotated by the clock, a second rotary member operated bya different instrumentality and spring contacts co-operatingwith saidrotary members and provided with means whereby they will be brought intocontact with one another by said rotary members atpredetermined'intervals of time. l-

2. The combination with a clock and switch means arranged to be operatedby the clock, ,said switch means comprising a rotary member rotated bythe clock, a second rotary member operated by a difierentinstrumentality and spring contacts co-operating with said rotarymembers It will be l. The combination with a clock and switch.

and'proyided with means whereby they will be brought into contact withone another by said rotary members at predetermined intervals of timeand kept in contact for predetermined periods of time.

3. The combination with a clock and switch means arranged to be operatedby the clock, said switch means comprising a rotary member rotated bythe clock, a second rotary member operated by a differentinstrumentality'and spring contacts co-operating with said rotarymembers and provided with means whereby they will be brought intocontact with one another by said rotary members at predeterminedintervals of time, said rotary member comprising star wheels, withcircumferential notches, and the spring contacts comprising metal stripswith bent ends adapted to enter said notches.

4. The combination with a clock and switch means arranged to be operatedby the clock, said switch means comprising a rotary member rotated bythe clock, a second rotary member operated by a differentinstrumentality and spring contacts co-operating with said rotarymembers and provided with means whereby they will be brought intocontact with one another by said rotary members at predeterminedintervals of time, said rotary member comprising star wheels withcircumferential notches, and the spring contacts comprising metal stripswith bent ends adapted to enter said notches, and the star wheel turnedby an independent device having its peripheral notches inclined at oneside to permit the bent end of a spring entering the same to be liftedby a rotation of said wheel.

5. Ihe combination, with an electric circuit and a clock, of a rotarystar wheel having notches and mounted on a shaft driven by the clock, anescapement controlling the operation of said star wheel, a second starwheel mounted on the same shaft as the first mentioned star wheel andarranged to be rotated independently thereof, a pair of contact stripseach having a bent end co-operating with notches in said star wheel,said contact strips having transversely extended portions providingcontacts to co-operate with one another to make and break said circuit,said contact strips being arranged to co-operate to open said circuitwhen the first mentioned star wheel contact strip rides on the peripheryof said wheel and to close the circuit when the second mentioned starwheel contact strip rides on the periphery of said first mentioned starwheel.

6. In a device of the class specified, an electric circuit switch meanscomprising a star wheel mounted on a shaft, a second star wheel mountedon the same shaft as the first mentioned star wheel and arranged to berotated independently thereof, a pair of contact strips each having abent end co-operating with notches in said first mentioned star wheel,said contact strips having transversely extended portions providingcontacts to co-operate with one another to make

